Abstract
The response of lettuce plants to new feeding sources was evaluated by a hydroponics system for two seasons. In the first season, the plants were grown in water culture having 3 unconventional nutrient sources composed of different mixes of pigeon and chicken manure, alluvial soils, and inorganic fertilizers. The mixes were soaked in water for 2 days and the infusion was extracted. The extractions were used as a source of nutrient solution. In the second season, the unconventional sources were supplemented with a chemical nutrient source. Also, both chicken and pigeon sources extracts were mixed as a new source. Growth, chlorophyll and minerals composition of plants were determined. Generally, the inorganic fertilizer source gave the highest growth. On the other hand, these treatments had no significant effect on the chlorophyll content either in the first or the second season with the exception of pigeon + inorganic treatment that was significantly decreased compared to the control treatment. The mineral composition of lettuce plants, in the first season, revealed that pigeon + chicken + inorganic treatment had the highest levels of K content in dry matter yield compared to other treatments. The chicken + pigeon treatment showed higher P-level and lower levels of Ca, Mg and Fe than the other treatments. The effect of soil extract treatment on NO3-, N, P, K, Zn and Cu concentrations in dry matter exhibited lowest levels and highest levels with Mg.
Finally, the chicken + pigeon treatment could be involved in the nutrient solutions for growing lettuce in the hydroponic system as unconventional feeding source as well as a safe source of chemical nutrients for plant, human and environment.